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‘He had little chance to live’

Burn victim succumbs to injuries

By
Sue-Ann Wayow sue-ann.wayow@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created:
May 14, 2014 at 11:11 PM ECT

Story Updated:
May 16, 2014 at 7:12 PM ECT

VIDESH MOHESS, one of the men badly burnt in an explosion aboard a ship last week, had only a slim chance of survival, but family members remained hopeful until his death.Mohess, 42, died in the Intensive Care Unit at Southern Medical Clinic on Tuesday around 4 p.m. Relatives said that although his death was almost inevitable, since he suffered 90 per cent burns, a dedicated Burns Unit in this country may have given him a chance.It was too expensive to transport Mohess and another victim, John Lambert, 48, abroad for the proper medical treatment needed, the Express was told.Lambert suffered 60 per cent burns.Last Friday, three men were injured in the explosion that took place on board a Trinidad Contractors Ltd supply vessel, the MV Comanche Arrow, in Claxton Bay.Trevor Henry remains at nearby Augustus Long Hospital in Pointe-a-Pierre where the victims were initially taken.Mohess and Lambert were transferred to San Fernando General Hospital. The Express was told at 1 a.m. the next morning, the two were taken to the private hospital by family members, with their employers, Trinidad Contractors Ltd, paying the medical expenses.Tara Mohess-Beharry, Mohess’s sister, said the doctors at the hospital advised the family to have her brother and Lambert transferred to the private hospital, so they could have been more isolated.Mohess-Beharry said: “I would like to thank the doctors, they worked around the clock, tried their best and I would like to thank the doctors for doing their best. He was critical and all they were trying to do was stabilise him. If he could have survived he would have survived, but it was too critical and it was too slim for him to be coming back to us.”Mohess, the sole breadwinner of his family and father of three, lived at St Croix, Princes Town. He was the last of 11 siblings.He worked with Trinidad Contractors Ltd for about 15 years as a welder.A tearful Mohess-Beharry said: “His whole life ahead was for his children. He worked hard for his children, his family. He goes all out for his family. My brother did not deserve to go this way. My brother was too much of a nice person. It is very hard right now for us to even express the way we feel because he left his wife and three little children.”She said her family members lent support to the other burn victims’ families.Taran Sagramsingh, Trinidad Contractors Ltd’s marine manager, said the incident was being investigated by an independent team, including the Energy Ministry, the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA), Fire Service and the police.Mohess-Beharry said the family was grateful for the company’s support, but they were anxiously awaiting the details of the report to find out what really caused Mohess’s death.